The METASTARS project, of which CTA is part of the consortium, has successfully completed its 30 months of implementation, achieving a positive impact on 47 SMEs in 12 European countries. With an investment of 1 million euros, the Eurocluster project, co-funded by the European Union, has driven key initiatives in innovation, green transition and digitalisation, strengthening the resilience of the ASD ecosystem.

Promoting innovation in the ASD sector

One of the pillars of METASTARS has been the support of innovation projects, with funding for 11 initiatives involving 17 SMEs. Each beneficiary company received €40,000 to develop technologies and solutions that strengthen European strategic autonomy and the robustness of the DSA value chain. These projects, ranging from technology maturity levels TRL 2-5 (high risk) to TRL 5-7 (low risk), were completed in October 2024.

Access the list of funded projects and their results here.

Innovation services for the green and digital transition

METASTARS has also provided support to 36 SMEs in 9 countries through a call for Innovation Services. Of the beneficiary SMEs, 9 are Spanish, providing access to 53 specialised services in:

• Digitalisation
• Information systems and cybersecurity
• Green technologies
• Improvement of competences
• Internationalisation in Japan and Canada

These services have enabled SMEs to adapt internal processes, develop new products and expand into global markets. It is worth noting that 9 of the beneficiary SMEs are Spanish, reflecting the commitment and innovative capacity of Spanish companies in this strategic sector.

See the list of beneficiary SMEs here.

Strengthening cooperation between ASD clusters in Europe

CTA has led the strengthening of the DSA ecosystem through training and collaboration actions between clusters. Six training sessions were held with the participation of 55 members from 33 European clusters, addressing topics such as:

• Talent attractiveness at European and international level.
• Effective communication
• Persuasion and negotiation

In addition, within the framework of the project, CTA has developed a portfolio of services to support SMEs and improve their competitiveness in the market. Promoting collaboration with the EACP and other multi-sector clusters, which has led to the creation of a new working group within the EACP to foster synergies in cross-cutting technologies for the aerospace and defence sector. 

Internationalisation in key markets

To strengthen the presence of ASD SMEs in the global market, METASTARS organised two specialised webinars on opportunities in Japan and Canada. These meetings provided information on market trends, regulations and entry strategies.

Key documents for the future of the ASD sector

METASTARS has generated a set of documents to further support SMEs beyond the project, including:

• Portfolio of training services for DSA clusters.
• Internationalisation strategies in Japan and Canada
• Business resilience plan for the DNH sector.

These materials will be available to the public interested in strengthening their capacities and adapting to the challenges of the sector.

With these results, METASTARS leaves a significant footprint in the European DSA ecosystem, facilitating the adaptation of SMEs to a dynamic and highly competitive environment.